There are a wide variety of electrical connector constructions which conventionally include a dielectric housing which mounts a plurality of contact members, with the housing having a plurality of passages for receiving mating terminals in engagement with contact portions of the contact members. A common type of contact member is a stamped and formed sheet metal member which includes a portion or end configured for engaging a respective terminal inserted into one of the passages in the dielectric housing.
One of the problems with electrical connector constructions of the character described above centers around the ever-increasing miniaturization of various electronic equipment. The electrical connectors used in such equipment, likewise, are increasingly miniaturized, yet the advantages of stamped and formed contact members still must be realized.
An example of such miniaturization is in the area of computer disk drives. Extremely low profile electrical connectors are being required, including versatile connectors which are capable of receiving a mating terminal in either of two opposite directions and with appreciable contacting forces. The contact pitch (spacing) in such electrical connectors also is becoming continuously smaller which also creates problems in the overall design of the connectors.
This invention is directed to solving the above problems by providing a very low profile connector having a very small pitch.